OH MY FUCKING GOD I CAN"T BELIEVE THE DAY I HAD TODAY!

I finally met him - HIM - ROB HALFORD...my idol, the guy I look up to. And now, I look up to him even more! I'll explain...my emotions are going a million miles a second so bear with me.

Let's start with yesterday. I met some folks hanging around a hotel here in KC known for celebrity stays down on the Plaza. I met Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath & got his autograph which was pretty cool. No sign of Priest. The folks I met were real cool.

Well today I was on the Plaza again and found the same guys hanging around. Saw Tony, again...yet we were all hoping for a chance at meeting Rob & the boys. I had to go back to work so I gave my cell # to one of the guys I met in case they ran into Priest while I was at work.

I received a message at around 5pm from that guy saying that the bus we were suspicious about WAS ROB HALFORD's and he was cool (of course), signed autographs, etc. I didn't think I had a chance, but I went by the hotel again on my way home and to my surprise the bus was still there. I stood there with my Judas Priest biography, Sharpie pen and camera for about an hour.

Then he came out of the hotel...shades, hat - looking cool - behind an assistant and I asked politely if I could have an autograph and a picture. Everything everyone has said here who has met him came true. He was kind, polite and a gentleman...of course I felt like I was a bumbling fool. I told him I was from the Quorum...he asked "What's your name on there?" I told him Nailed2theGun...he said, "Is that you? Really...do you live in Kansas?" I told him yes and that I was also the guy who won his microphone from Rockline back in 2002. HE REMEMBERED THAT!

I got my picture taken with him (WILL SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT IMAGES IN MY POSTS - I want to share these pics!). He shook my hand and then I said "I wish I could see the Priest reunited - have a great show Rob"...then he says "Why aren't you going?". I told him that I really couldn't...I'm a father of two, tickets were expensive and then he just flat out states "WELL FUCK THAT! Do you wanna go, David?" He started asking for his tour manager - I'm freaking - he tells his assistant to take me to some other bus and to get me on the list for a ticket. We couldn't find him.

As I was walking back to my car, Rob comes back out of the bus, hat off, shades off, smoking a cig and asks "Did they take care of you?" I told him we couldn't find the guy - then he tells me to come back over to the bus and says "Do you have a cell phone?"
Rob took my cell # and said he would do his best to make it happen. I asked for one more pic and he said "Absolutely".

I was in shock! I had absolutely NO plans on going and was kicking myself for missing this reunion...and the METAL GOD is doing everything he can for me......for me..........a nobody, really. But not to him. He knew I was a fan and he went out of his way for just one of his fans. How many rock stars...how many entertainers would do that? VERY FEW.

So I'm driving home with 'Priest in Memphis' blaring on my car stereo, and my cell phone rings. "Hello David? This is Rob Halford. I've got you taken care of...go to Guest Services at the venue and show a picture ID and there will be a tcket there for you. And if you run into any trouble, log this call or call me back and I'll straighten it out." HE called me. He didn't have someone else do it, HE DID! Unbelieveable.

I raced to the show. The ticket was there in an envelope with my name on it. 10th row center - I couldn't believe it! I called the number back to thank whoever answered and to say there were no problems. Little did I know the call I had received earlier came from Rob's OWN CELL! I GOT HIS VOICEMAIL! I left a message telling him that this is why he is my idol...this is why he is the best in the business - THE BEST - PERIOD! THERE IS NO ONE LIKE THE METAL GOD! I told him to get out there and KICK MY ASS from the stage and to have a great show.

The show was AWESOME! It started to rain during VOC and the mains went down for part of that song, but the Priest kept playing. Near the end I started to cry (I'm an emotional dude, can't help it)...I shouldn't have even been there...and the man up on stage looking down at me made sure I would experience the RETURN OF THE METAL GODS!

There are so many more details to this story that I don't mean to leave out, but the euphoria I'm feeling at this point.....well, those who have met him know what I'm talking about. My dream of meeting him has come true, beyond my wildest expectations. I met Priest in '86, but not Rob. Tried to during the Fight years - no go then as well. This time, it just all fell into place in a wierd unexpected way. Thank you Rob! I hope you saw me out there. I know someday you will read this because you proved to me today how much your fans mean to you. My respect and admiration for you has grown a million fold! You have made August 10, 2004 a day I WILL NEVER EVER EVER FORGET!!!

Peace to all my Quorumite friends - you guys (AND GALS) are the BEST!

N2G